Spiel des Jahres
The Spiel des Jahres is a prestigious award for
board and card games,
The award was created in 1978 to reward excellence in game design, and to promote top-quality games in the German market.
It is thought that the existence and popularity of the award is one of the major drivers of the quality of games coming out of
Germany.
Encyclopedia
The
Spiel des Jahres is a prestigious award for
board and card games,
The award was created in 1978 to reward excellence in game design, and to promote top-quality games in the German market.
It is thought that the existence and popularity of the award is one of the major drivers of the quality of games coming out of
Germany.
Award criteria
The award is given by a jury of German boardgame critics, who review games released in Germany in the preceding twelve months. The games considered for the award are
family-style games; wargames, role-playing games, collectible card games, and other complicated, highly-competitive, or hobbyist games are outside the scope of the award. Since 1989, there has been a separate award for children's games. Along with the nominations, the jury also gives a list of recommended games, and occasionally gives out special prizes for games which will not be considered for the main award.
The criteria on which a game will be evaluated are, generally speaking:
- Game idea & originality
- Rule structure & clarity
- Presentation
- Game mechanics
2006 awards
The nominations for the 2006 award were released on 28 May, 2006. The five games nominated were:
- Seeräuber - Stefan Dorra, Queen Games
- Aqua Romana - Martin Schlegel, Queen Games
- Just 4 Fun - Jürgen P.K. Grunau, Kosmos
- Thurn and Taxis - Karen & Andreas Seyfarth, Hans im Glück
- Blue Moon City - Reiner Knizia, Kosmos
Thurn und Taxis was announced as winner on 17 July, 2006.
Along with the nominations, the jury also assigned two special prizes for games which it felt were too demanding to count as 'family style' games.
2005 awards
The nominations for the 2005 award were released on 8 May, 2005. The five games nominated were:
- Niagara - Thomas Liesching, Zoch Verlag
- Verflixxt - Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling, Ravensburger
- Around the World in 80 Days - Michael Rieneck, Kosmos
- Jambo - Rüdiger Dorn, Kosmos
- Himalaya - Régis Bonnessée, Tilsit Editions
Niagara was announced to be the winner on 27 June, 2005.
Previous winners
Game of the year
| Year | Winner | Designer | Publisher |
|---|
>2006 | Thurn and Taxis | Karen and Andreas Seyfarth | Hans im Glück | | 2005 | Niagara | Thomas Liesching | Zoch Verlag |
| 2004 | Ticket to Ride
| Alan R. Moon | Days of Wonder |
| 2003 | Alhambra | Dirk Henn | Queen Games |
| 2002 | Villa Paletti | Bill Payne | Zoch Verlag |
| 2001 | Carcassonne | Klaus-Jürgen Wrede | Hans im Glück |
| 2000 | Torres | Wolfgang Kramer and Michael Kiesling | Ravensburger |
| 1999 | Tikal | Michael Kiesling and Wolfgang Kramer | Ravensburger |
| 1998 | Elfenland | Alan R. Moon | Amigo Spiele |
| 1997 | Mississippi Queen | Werner Hodel | Goldsieber |
| 1996 | El Grande | Wolfgang Kramer and Richard Ulrich | Hans im Glück |
| 1995 | The Settlers of Catan
| Klaus Teuber | Kosmos |
| 1994 | Manhattan | Andreas Seyfarth | Hans im Glück |
| 1993 | Call My Bluff
| Richard Borg | F.X. Schmid |
| 1992 | Um Reifenbreite | Rob Bontenbal | Jumbo |
| 1991 | Drunter und Drüber | Klaus Teuber | Hans im Glück |
| 1990 | Hoity Toity
| Klaus Teuber | F.X. Schmid |
| 1989 | Café International | Rudi Hoffmann | Mattel |
| 1988 | Barbarossa | Klaus Teuber | Altenburger und Stralsunder |
| 1987 | Auf Achse | Wolfgang Kramer | F.X. Schmid |
| 1986 | Top Secret Spies
| Wolfgang Kramer | Ravensburger |
| 1985 | Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective | Raymond Edwards, Suzanne Goldberg and Gary Grady | Kosmos |
| 1984 | Railway Rivals
| David Watts | Schmidt Spiele |
| 1983 | Scotland Yard | Werner Schlegel, Dorothy Garrels, Fritz Ifland, Manfred Burggraf, Werner Scheerer and Wolf Hoermann | Ravensburger |
| 1982 | Enchanted Forest
| Alex Randolph and Michel Matschoss | Ravensburger |
| 1981 | Focus | Sid Sackson | Parker |
| 1980 | Rummikub | Ephraim Hertzano | Intelli |
| 1979 | Hare and Tortoise
| David Parlett | Ravensburger |
Children's game of the year
| Year | Winner | Designer | Publisher |
|---|
| 1989 | Gute Freunde | Alex Randolph | Selecta |
| 1990 | My Haunted Castle
| Virginia Charves | F.X. Schmid |
| 1991 | Corsaro - Irrfahrt im Piratenmeer | Wolfgang Kramer | Herder |
| 1992 | Galloping Pigs
| Heinz Meister | Ravensburger |
| 1993 | Ringel Rangel | Geni Wyss | Habermaaß |
| 1994 | Loopin' Louie | Carol Wiseley | Milton Bradley |
| 1995 | Karambolage | Heinz Meister | Habermaaß |
| 1996 | Noah's Park
| Heike Baum | Altenburger und Stralsunder |
| 1997 | Leinen Los! | Alex Randolph | Habermaaß |
| 1998 | Chicken Cha Cha Cha | Klaus Zoch | Zoch Verlag |
| 1999 | Kayanak | Peter-Paul Joopen | Habermaaß |
| 2000 | Arbos | Armin Müller and Martin Arnold | M+A Spiel |
| 2001 | Klondike | Christian Wolf and Stefanie Rohner | Habermaaß |
| 2002 | The Ladybug's Costume Party
| Peter-Paul Joopen | Selecta |
| 2003 | Viva Topo! | Manfred Ludwig | Selecta |
| 2004 | Spooky stairs
| Michelle Schanen | Drei Magier Spiele |
| 2005 | Das Kleine Gespenst | Kai Haferkamp | Kosmos |
| 2006 | Der Schwarze Pirat | Guido Hoffmann | Habermaaß |
Special awards
| Year | Prize | Winner | Designer | Publisher |
|---|
| 2006 | Best complex game | Caylus | William Attia | ?stari Games |
| Best fantasy game | Shadows Over Camelot | Serge Laget and Bruno Cathala | Days of Wonder |
| 2005 | no special prizes awarded |
| 2004 | no special prizes awarded |
| 2003 | no special prizes awarded |
| 2002 | no special prizes awarded |
| 2001 | Best use of history in a game | Troia | Thomas Fackler | Zeitstein Spiele |
| Best use of literature in a game | Lord of the Rings | Reiner Knizia | Kosmos |
| 2000 | no special prizes awarded |
| 1999 | no special prizes awarded |
| 1998 | no special prizes awarded |
| 1997 | Best game of skill | Husarengolf | Torsten Marold | Abacus |
| Most beautiful game | Aztec | Niek Neuwahl | Zoch Spiele |
| 1996 | Best game of skill | Carabande | Jean du Poel | Goldsieber |
| Most beautiful game | Venice Connection | Alex Randolph | Drei Magier Spiele |
| 1995 | Best puzzle | 3D Krimi-Puzzle | no specific designer | Milton Bradley |
| Most beautiful game | Tri-Ba-Lance | Michael Sohre | Theta Promotions |
| 1994 | Most beautiful game | Doctor Faust | Reinhold Wittig | Blatz Spiele |
| 1993 | Most beautiful game | Kula Kula | Reinhold Wittig | Blatz Spiele |
| 1992 | no special prizes awarded |
| 1991 | Most beautiful game | Master Labyrinth | Max Kobbert | Ravensburger |
| 1990 | Most beautiful game | Life Style | no specific designer | Ravensburger |
| 1989 | Most beautiful game | Henne Berta | Geni Wyss | Habermaaß |
| 1988 | Best cooperative game | Sauerbaum | Johannes Tranelis | Herder |
| Most beautiful game | Inkognito | Alex Randolph and Leo Colovini | Milton Bradley |
| 1987 | Most beautiful game | Tatort Nachtexpress | Jeff Smets | Jumbo |
| 1986 | Most beautiful game | Müller & Sohn | Reinhold Wittig | Kosmos |
| 1985 | Most beautiful game | Die drei Magier | Johann Rüttinger | Drei Magier Spiele |
| 1984 | Most beautiful game | Uisge | Roland Siegers | Hexagames |
| 1983 | Most beautiful game | Wir füttern die kleinen Nilpferde | Reinhold Wittig | Edition Perlhuhn |
| 1982 | Most beautiful game | Skript | Henri Sala | Jumbo |
| 1981 | Most beautiful game | Ra | Marco Donadoni | International Team |
| 1980 | Best puzzle | Rubik's cube | Ernö Rubik | Arxon |
| Most beautiful game | Spiel | Reinhold Wittig | Edition Perlhuhn |
| 1979 | Most beautiful game | Seti | no specific designer | Bütehorn |
See also
References
External links
